Marvel: 2010-08-08 - Welcome to the Eisenhardt Compound
While Magnus seems about as overtly excited as anyone ever sees him (Which...isn't saying a whole lot, as he's generally a pretty reserved guy), it seems terribly mundane when he actually piles everyone into, of all things, a -van- and they are collectively driven a fair distance away from the townhouse in Queens that has largely been their home these past few months, albeit still within the same Borough. They arrive at a very nondescript industrial park a short distance away from LaGuardia Airport. As they pile out of the van, Magnus heads towards the nearest doorway, the print on the front reads, "Superior Freight, Inc...Established 1967." On the inside it's...almost depressingly bland. The very image of a modern "cube farm" except that there doesn't seem to be anybody present working. Still, Magnus seems to almost have a little spring in his step as he wanders through the reception area, past the roomful of cubicles, and to what looks, at first glance, like a typical "break room" for employees. "Now...the townhouse keys you all have should work on the front door here, as well. But -this- is where our little journey truly begins." Following somewhere near both Racey and Jeremy, Sasha meanders through the warehouse, following and listening to Magnus, quite attentively. She's got a self-amused sort of expression as if she knows something the others don't. At least, for now. Or, something like that. Jeremy gets to have a car..van ride. Wooo. At least he doesn't hang his head out the window. Once at the cube farm he looks about with great interest. He's never been in an office like area before. "...neat..." This is so very exciting! Racey yawns and has changed earlier into a snug silvery tank top that shows off her generous feminine assets. On her hips this time rather than her favorite skirt, is actually a pair of leather pants that look practically painted on. Her feet have combat boots on. She stomps after Magnus with a natura sway to her hips. During the ride she kept stare at Jeremy, fingers twitching. But now, she seems calmer. Instead she tots after Magnus and looks up at him with wide eyes. "You act like it's Christmas or something hon," her husky voice slightly deep...a whiskey voice is what they call it. Iain rides quietly in the van, and glances aroudn the office. Mostly, he simply walks and watches, observing the various other personalities and egos in his new 'Brotherhood'. "Oh, this is much better than Christmas. Or at least I think so." Magnus notes with no small amount of amusement, "Now, if you all look at your keys, you may notice there is a numerical sequence etched into them. That sequence is a code." Magnus moves to the Microwave oven, of all things, and inputs a series of numbers, "Input the code here, and press "start" and "cancel" simultaneously." He does so, and suddenly there's a "hiss" from the Refrigerator, like an airtight seal being broken, as it slides back into the wall and to the side, revealing a rather spacious elevator behind it. "After you..." He gestures, allowing the others to fill the elevator before stepping in behind them. The door closes, and their stomachs might plummet a little bit as it begins a rather high-speed descent. Judging from the sensation of speed and the duration...it's dropping quite a ways beneath the city. It does slow to a stop after several seconds, opening to what almost looks like a small subway station, albeit one whose train only consists of one car, though it's large enough to hold all of them with room for well over a dozen more comfortably. "All aboard." Yes, the wry sense of humor is in full force tonight, it seems, as he leads the way up the short platform and into the car. "I liked the other way better," comments Sasha, with some amusement towards Magnus; though, she actually seemed to enjoy the plummet that left her stomach at the top of the 'ride'. She grins at both Jeremy and Racey, then, noting finally to the other young woman, "I'm Sasha. Don't think we've met yet. Should be fun, yeah?" As they travel along Jeremy occasionally glances at Racey. He does recognize 'her' from the night before.. but something makes him think he might have run into the gal before. He's of course curious as to why she's changed her dress so radically. But soon his ponderings are pushed aside by the curiosity that is the microwave 'key' and the fridge door. "..wicked." The close quarters of the elevator leaves him looking a bit uneasy, as does the drop. ugh. A squeal comes from Racey, "Wicked kool!" She wants to know how it all works and starts humming softy to herself, an uneven and strange rythum. But she is soon in the elevator with everyone else. She makes sure to stand beside Magnus, just cause she is pushy like that! When the elevator starts to drop, Racey reaches out instictively for Magnus' arm to cling to, and a very quiet squeak comes from her. "Ugh...bad feeling." But Racey soon nods, "Racey." She follows after Magnus to get on the underground car at his indication. "Well, I'm not always around to play ferryman." Magnus notes to Sasha, a bit of a grin on his face. The train begins to move as soon as the doors close behind them. "Normally this little mag-lev train of ours would take roughly twenty-five minutes to reach its' destination. Bear that in mind for future reference, but for this evening, I hope you'll all forgive me if I nudge it along a bit." The train slowly picks up speed as they leave the dock, and Magnus "helps" it along with the application of his own power. Oddly, despite reaching speeds of several hundred miles an hour, there's little sensation of g-forces acting upon them. "We're headed North, well under Long Island and out to the mainland." Mag-Lev Docks, Tunnel and Hanger - New York "Superior Freight" is a perfectly bland office space in a perfectly bland industrial park near LaGuardia Airport in New York City. However those "in the know" can find a hidden elevator that takes them well beneath the city, and to a high-tech mag-lev train car (capable of holding about two dozen people) that sends them on a several hundred-mile-an-hour ride in a long underground tunnel that leads north of New York City. The trip generally takes about 25 minutes. The destination is a platform that is part of a much larger structure. In fact, this chamber actually dwarfs the Central Hub in size, being a massive space used for storing several air transports of Magneto's own design. These exotic aircraft range from a pair of multi-person transports to smaller craft used for carrying just one or two members at a time. These aircraft can exit the hangar via a hidden door that lies at the end of a long, wide tunnel that also functions as a "runway" for launching and landing these craft. To one side of the hangar is an area where the various craft can be serviced, maintained and modified, often looking much like the machine shops in the laboratories but simply on a larger scale. Occasionally the repair bay can get a little messy, as projects are paused before being completed, but by and large this area, much like the rest of the headquarters, is nearly pristinely clean and very well-organized. Also present here is a small armory loaded with several conventional weapons, for the use of those mutants without direct offensive capabilities if they so choose. Racey sticks close to Magnus, wishing she could see how his powers worked. She whispers to him, "Enjoy showing off?" Then a sly wink is sent up toward him. "I think it's hawt." Yes, the girl is teasing and flirting with an amused Magnus. Hey, why not? Better to do it now than when he isn't is such a good mood! Jeremy is getting a train ride too? More awesome.. and as Racey flirts with the boss he smirks, shaking his head. "... did you build all o' this.. alone?" he asks, shocked by all the shiney stuff. "Nice digs," agrees Sasha; this apparently wasn't one of the places she was able to see, in her journey here. She chuckles, noting to the others, "Last time I was here, stuff wasn't finished. And I was flown in. Don't expect that'll happpen often, but it was fun." Stretching, she muses, "It'll be a nice to have a place t'hang, without worry. An' practice. Plan." Iain keeps his eyes open, as he walks along with the group, and offers quietly, "Training is good.. Being able to learn to work together." he says with a smirk, watching as the train begins. "An impressive safehouse, for certain." Magnus flicks a glance towards Racey, the smirk still on his lips, "Occasionally." He then looks towards Jeremy and smiles, almost wolfishly, "I did, though it has taken me a few weeks. I once built a structure rather similar to this in a single day, but that proved a harsh lesson in learning to better pace myself." He notes, the smile fading back to a rueful grin. "Oh, you've barely seen anything yet, Sasha..." The train zooms along for about five minutes, before slowing to a halt in a considerably larger chamber. A hangar, to be precise. As they disembark, several different, exotic-looking aircraft can be seen waiting here. "Obviously, this is the Hangar. There is a retracting doorway at the end of the tunnel to allow our aircraft an egress," He gestures down the long, dark tunnel that branches off the Hangar, "Eventually you will all be taught how to utilize the aircraft here. Do not fear, they are designed to be...what is the term? User-friendly?" He chuckles a touch. "But the heart of the facility is this way." He gestures, moving towards an archway, the metal doors sliding open to allow them to pass into a fairly long hallway that then opens into yet another large chamber, albeit not so large as the Hangar. Central Hub - Brotherhood Headquarters - New York Clearly this large chamber is the nerve center and "heart" of this subterranean facility. A high domed ceiling arcs overhead lined with brushed metal tiles and recessed lighting. The room itself is about a hundred feet across, with the ceiling raising to a height of roughly fifty feet, supported at regular intervals by columns that bear flat-panel screens and computer consoles at a level for easy access and viewing. Many of these screens seem to show maps of the world, while others stream news broadcasts or other information, occasionally assisted by holographic projectors. Illuminated pathways lead across the polished black marble floor from various corridors that extend from this large room, like the spokes of a giant wheel. The centerpiece of this chamber is a large statue of two stylized granite figures, one male and one female, holding aloft an encircled DNA helix comprised of pure platinum. For the particularly knowledgeable, it's the particular strand of DNA that houses the "X-Factor" that causes mutancy. The entire combined sculpture stands about twenty feet tall, and above it is suspended a circular platform, hovering above the statue thanks to the creative application of magnetic force. The rest of the chamber is relatively bare, save for some long semicircular benches positioned around the central sculpture, just far enough back to have a good view of anyone that might be standing on that hovering platform. The large chamber is well-lit, but the dark stone floor and brushed metal walls and ceiling still give it a "dark" tone despite the ample lighting, and the large amount of open space gives the room some interesting acoustic properties, making it something of an echo chamber and allowing someone standing on one end of the room to still be able to easily converse with someone on the opposite...or for everyone in the room to hear what someone on the central platform might be saying. From the central chamber, four arched entryways barred with sliding metal doors lead to different portions of the base, with a smaller door in the north wall opening to an elevator that leads to the Eisenhardt Compound above. Iain glances up, looking over the aircraft, and he mmms, "If you've got any simulator data on them, I can get started right away.. I maintain a sport plane license, and have trained on larger aircraft simulators." he says with a twinkle in his eyes. Flying, even without flaming jets of plasma coming out of his feet, is one of his favorite things. Racey can't help but cackle, "I'm going to fly a plane!" Yes, the girl is psycho a bit. "This place is really spiffy Magnus." She looks and sounds impressed, and the planes get eyed. "I'm so going to experiment with those babies...oooooohhhh ya." But she is then following along to the next area. She mmms at Iain's words. Better than his photos, that's for sure, not that Racey would say that out loud. It is like someone trashing music, she would want to hit them. Jeremy continues to be pretty overwhelmed by it all. His eyes are wide and he's looking (and sniffing) at everything! It's really just amazing one man, even a mutant could build all this! "Obviously this is where much of our planning and preparation will take place. We receive satellite feeds from all across the globe here, and have some rather sophisticated computer systems helping us to filter that data into something potentially useful." Magnus gestures to one of the other tunnels, though their destinations are actually marked above the archways: "The training center is a place where we can hone our abilities personally or as a team. It also includes athletic facilities designed for those with...enhanced...physiques, as well as the simulators you speak of, Iain. You are all, of course, encouraged to make use of the area at your leisure...particularly those simulators. More formalized training sessions will come in time." He gestures towards another doorway, "Through there are laboratories and workshops. Rather self-explanatory, I should think. We also have an emergency bunker here, just in case the compound above-ground should prove unusable for whatever reason. We could likely all survive here for quite some time if it were absolutely necessary, but it would be considerably more cramped and less pleasant than what we have upstairs." Sasha eyes the psycho girl a bit oddly, shakes her head, then looks towards Magneto, curiously. "Sounds like a well thought out place, t' - get acquainted an' familiar with each other. As well as get our abilities up t'snuff, t'protect ourselves 'gainst those bastards who think they're better'n us," comments Sasha, approvingly. She looks towards Jeremy, "Kid in a candy store," she comments, with a laugh. "Geez, you are going to have to tell me how you built such a place Magnus!" Racey starts to well, race about. She opens doors, peers in, humms as she goes. She is like seriously high right now, and going crazy with squeals of surprise and delight. At least until she sways slightly and rubs her temples..."Ugh...too much information....ouch...ouch...ouch....." Iain smiles, and mmmms, "It's a good design. Defensible." he opines, "Any policy about weaponry? I like to keep trained with my rifles. Wouldn't mind teaching others to shoot if they need it." he offers with a smile, and he chuckles, as the youngsters scurry about, admiring the place. "I imagine there's also some kind of automated defense system, considering all the other bells and whistles?" he wonders. Jeremy oooos. There is more?! more is good! He still feels a bit strange for being so far underground but there is so much to see and investigate! This has got to be better than Disneyworld! "There is a small armory in the hangar with a collection of conventional weaponry for those without direct offensive capabilities, as well as a larger armory in the Bunker. You are free to bring whatever possessions you wish here, and the combat simulation chamber can easily be used as a shooting range." Magnus makes a gesture, and several of the metal tiles above retract, with very ominous looking rotary cannons ("gatling guns") dropping from the ceiling, their positions allowing them to collectively "cover" the entire room. "There are cameras hidden throughout the underground portion of the facility. The mag-lev tunnel and the elevator that leads to the house above can be blocked off via an override command, and there are other defenses as well. To say nothing of our own abilities." He adds, "As we speak, your voices are being recorded and processed into our security database. A bit later we will take fingerprint readings to allow you all full access." Magnus glances about, smiling a touch, "But as grand as this all is, it is not my wish for us to live huddled away below ground. Mystique has been kind enough to allow us the use of her safehouse in the city, but while it is a fine home, it is simply too small to meet all of our needs. It will remain as a place for temporary lodging and meeting with potential recruits, but...the house above, is ours. You are all encouraged to maintain quarters here, if not to take up permanent residence. But...we can discuss that more, once we are back above-ground." He moves towards a final door, which slides open to reveal yet another elevator. Iain smiles, and shifts his shoulders, "I've always found it a wise policy to maintain a familiarity with conventional weaponry. There are times when using one's power may draw unwanted attention." he points out, and glances up, as Mags drops the gatling guns out tof the cieling. "Excellent." he says with a smile, as he listens and nods, moving along towards the new elevator. "Holy shit Magnus..this is...sorta scary actually." Racey is nervous, cold chills and all. It is impressive, but it is frightening as well. "Mystique?" An exotic and pretty name. Racey rather concentrate on something a little less terrifying. The scary thing, Racey may be helping build weapons at some point, if Magnus teachers her how. But she will do as Magnus needs/wants. Jeremy listens with rapt attention. It really is so much to take in. It all really makes him feel like some kind of country bumpkin. He rubs at the back of his neck and quietly follows along. Main Entryway - Eisenhardt Compound - New York The entryway of the main house of the Eisenhardt Compound is a spacious affair of black marble floors and columns, with an indoor fountain as the centerpiece and a large overhanging crystal chandelier. The immediate impression is one of opulence and luxury, with a few modern-art sculptures sitting on pedestals in the corners of the room. Aside from the sound of the fountain, the house is very quiet, almost muted thanks to a large degree of insulation and soundproofing. Aside from a walk-in coat closet, there are three exits from the foyer: One leads towards the living quarters, another towards the kitchen and dining area, and a third towards a large parlor. The entire building is actually only one sprawling floor, but it does actually have a few step-ups and partial stairways as the "ground level" of the house raises and lowers in accordance with the contours of the ground beneath it. Well, the next portion of the trip might be less overwhelming, though it may not make anyone feel less bumpkin-ish. After all are herded into the new elevator, the door closes and it rises at a fairly rapid speed, probably going up the equivalent of a few dozen stories before opening into a fairly extravagant foyer. After they step out of the elevator, the door closes and wood panelling slides into place, hiding the elevator from view. Magnus gives them a moment to take in the sights, then gestures, "Welcome to the Eisenhardt Compound." Iain steps out of the elevator, and mmmms, looking around, and smiling, "Ahhhh, now this.. this is the luxury to which all men should become accustomed!" he says, looking around with a broad smile. The bunker and training area below was neat and all.. but this.. this looks looks like a good place for.. "An I wonder do'ya stock good scotch, sir?" he asks with a smile. Racey gasps. But this time in pleasure, "Pretttttty!" She moves to Magnus' side to give his arm a squeeze/hug. She grins warmly. "I really like it! Wow...this is just...amazing." She really should cave and buy a second guitar too, so she can keep a spare here. Equipment is so expensive though, and the group did just release their second CD. Perhaps after their second tour...or maybe build her own? "I could go for some good scotch!" She ends up raising one of her hands like in a class room. Jeremy arches a brow at the name. Eisenhardt? is that like Eisengard from LOTR? curious! He looks about, whiskers fanning in fascination. Wow a fountain! and marble floors?! "..damn..." is all he can say. Never EVER in a Billion Million years did he think he'd step foot (or paw) in a place like this, let alone live in it. Arriving late, because Speedsters are good at that, Pietro appears not quite seemingly out of no where. He blurs in, little more than blues and whites, to stand near Jeremy. And he's in costume. A blue and white affair with a lightning bolt from should to the opposite hip. "Sorry. Class ran late." Doesn't sound too concerned about it. Nor does he look too impressed. This is only thanks to the fact he looked around, and gaped at it, before showing up to the group. "Impressive." While only a voice initially, the tale-tale wisps that comprise Amelia and her mode of transubstantiation solidify into view with a faint smile touching her lips. While she might have been dressed downright down to Earth earlier in the day, the woman has since changed to something that most see her in. Right down to heels.. yes, heels. Nodding briefly in greeting, the woman offers after a beat, "Not too late, it seems." Looking amused at Pietro's return, Sasha quips, "And here I was just starting to miss you, Flash." Seems she's got a nickname for everyone. She winks at Pietro then, "Nice moves. Suppose you've already seen the place then? Probably in how long it took me to glance around this room." "Don't insult the man Sasha...no man wants to brag about quickies." Ooooh, ouch! But Racey then winks over at Pietro teasingly. And the entire time she is hugging Magnus' arm, having lowered her other hand from wanting scotch. She beams a grin toward Amelia, "Hey sweetie! You look hawt, like, totally. Not that you don't always, makes me almost wish I wasn't so grunge." She lets out a little pretend sniffer. "Oh, you'll find we keep a wide selection of the best of everything. Both in the dining area..." Magnus gestures in the proper direction, "And in the recreation room." He smiles, moving in the direction of the living area, "The parlor and library are through there, but I suspect the living quarters would be the best place to go see right now." He pauses a moment as Pietro and Amelia arrive, briefly placing a hand on Pietro's shoulder in silent greeting, "I'm glad the two of you could join us." He's about as happy as he ever outwardly gets. Not even brushing Racey off his arm and actually smiling. "If you'll follow me?" He heads through the doorway to the living area. Jeremy jumps with a start when Pietro suddenly appears, his fur bristling and his tail lashing until he realizes just who and what has arrived. "$#@!in' A man..don' do that!" he grumbles! Then he follows after the leader. Living Area - Eisenhardt Compound - New York This area serves as the communal living space for the Brotherhood's members. There are many rooms here, all well-furnished with king-sized beds, mahogany wood furniture, and a private bathroom attached. There is no particular distinction between male and female quarters, and cohabitation is neither forbidden nor even particularly discouraged. The hallways that are lined with these bedrooms branch in two directions, with a central area that contains both a large rec room and a short hallway to the Gymnasium area. A final doorway leads to a stairwell leading to the highest portion of the house, which also happens to serve as Magneto's personal living quarters. Various pieces of modern art, a few potted plants, and plenty of windows providing spectacular views of the grounds provide the decoration, though individual rooms are of course tailored to their occupants' liking. "..Sorry." Said with amusement to Jeremy. "You're qualifications for membership has lowered a good deal, hasn't it, father. That said, you've outdone yourself here. This place is magnificent." Pietro notes after Racey attempts to make that joke. And his praise is honest. The touch to his shoulder has him nodding to his father. Only then does he shrug at Sasha. "My name is Pietro. Or you may call me Quicksilver. I won't respond to Flash, or any other nickname, so keep that in mind." Not angry, merely stating a fact. Iain chuckles, "I wonder, should I, as the newest member of the group, be insulted that twice you've mentioned how much the standards have lowered?" he teases towards Pietro, and wanders along with Jeremy, reaching to pat the young man's back, "Relax, lad. We're all friends here." he murmurs with a smile. Racey makes a funny face at Pietro, "Grump," she murmurs. She lets go of Magnus to explore more. "Pretttttty," she notes. She starts to humm a strange rthyum to see what is in the area, if it is only normal wiring and electricity or something 'more'. "We have ever only had one qualification for membership, my son, as you well know." That being the presence of the "X" gene, of course. "But thank you nonetheless. I put considerable thought and effort into it." He doesn't defend the others from Pietro's sharp tongue, primarily because he expects them to defend themselves. As they stand at the point where two long hallways diverge, he gestures, "You will find that a few rooms have already been designated for the use of Mystique, Amelia, and my children." The plural might be worth noting, but he continues, "The rest you may choose for yourselves. There is plenty of extra space, so should we have the desire to turn a spare room into say, a small recording studio..." He glances to Racey, then looks to Iain, "Or a photography lab...such things can easily be done. You may of course decorate and rearrange your personal living space as you see fit." He gestures towards the stairwell, "My quarters are up the stairs. There is a conventional gymnasium and athletic facility, to include an indoor pool." He points towards the proper doorway, "And of course a recreational area filled with all manner of diversions." Racey would get a fairly "normal" vibe from this section of the house. There's plenty of electrical wiring and such, but nothing particularly unusual. Just "more" of it thanks to the large number of rooms. Jeremy glowers at Pietro for his comment, ears back and tail lashing. His narrowed gaze shoots to Iain next, and after a hesitating second he takes a step away from the gesture. "Don'.." he murmurs lowly. "So what, All mutants are created equal...cept some are more equal than others huh?" It probably isn't wise to growl at Magneto's son, but he's no fan of such comments. Looking curiously between Pietro, and Jeremy, Sasha can't help but shake her head in some amusement. She looks towards Amelia, gives the woman a wink and notes, "We should talk, later. Nix told us 'bout your offer. But, that can wait, yeah?" Then, towards Pietro, "Quicksilver, eh? Works well enough. Guess if I had a nickname, it'd be Scattershot. 'Least, for now. 'Till I think up somethin' better. But, I kinda like that." She gives Pietro a grin, "I'll show you, later." Racey doesn't care about Pietro's opinion enough to defend herself. She hasn't talked about herself either with the group other than Magnus and Amelia, well other than to share that her name is 'Racey'. A soft mmmmm, and she then makes sure to clear her mind. Bad Racey! No racey thoughts about the indoor pool! She can't bring John here anyway! "This is just...really amazing Magnus." She smiles brightly over at the charismatic leader. But she then laughs softly, huskily in that whiskey voice of hers. "Don't get so touchy Jeremy. It isn't like his opinion really matters. Don't give power to others to hold over you, if they don't matter, don't care. Pietro seems to understand that concept well enough," she says with humor. Pietro merely arches his eyebrows at Jeremy. Want to accept that challenge, Tiger-boy? He'd be willing. The teen doesn't chide Jeremy for it, however, or goad him. Totally doesn't answer that question either. Magneto probably wouldn't like what his son has to say, and the teen is wise enough not to say it. Instead he looks to Magneto and nods, "I'll bring Wanda down as soon as she's able. She'll definitely want to see this." If he had known, he'd have pried her off her homework. Sasha gets eyed briefly, but he doesn't chide her again. "If you wish." He looks a little dubious however. Even as Amelia follows the group, both hands move to clasp behind her back as she takes note of the conversations, but very little comments come from her quarter. At the moment, she says nothing aside from glancing in the various directions while standing slightly to one side. Until the comment from Sasha, which draws a glimmer of interest. "Really? And, of course. As I keep saying. It's easy enough to find me, when I'm here." Magnus glances between Pietro and Jeremy for a moment, his smile fading a touch, but not completely, "Let us not mar this occasion with ugly words. This should be cause for celebration, not bickering." He adds, "And speaking of celebration..." He gestures once more, beckoning the group towards the Rec Room, "I believe we may have suitable libations for a proper toast in here." Rec Room - Eisenhardt Compound - New York The Rec Room, not surprisingly, is the center for "rest and relaxation" here in the Compound. A massive 60-inch flatscreen television is probably the centerpiece, with a couple of couches and love-seats and a few easy chairs all arranged to have a good view of it. Coffee tables are placed here and there, allowing occupants to have someplace to place items. A pool table, ping-pong table, and a card table that can be configured for several different games are found here, along with a couple other tables for those that might wish to play board games or the like. The television is attached to a state-of-the-art sound system, and some shelving off to one side contains a large collection of DVDs, CDs, board games, and even a smattering of books and magazines for light reading. A couple of pinball machines are also available for playing. There's even a refrigerator, microwave, small pantry, and mini-bar available to allow folks to find some refreshment without having to wander all the way back to the dining area. All-in-all it looks like quite the fun place to hang out, though there is a sign above the exit with a clear message printed in bold print: "Keep the Rec Room clean or it will be lost." Iain ahhhhs, as he walks into the rec room with the group, hoping that everyone behaves for now, as he spots the pool table, and gets a broad smile, "Now there's an old friend." he says, and smiles to Jeremy, "Do you play pool, lad?" he asks, trying to distract from Pietro's rudeness. Racey saw Amelia teleport for the first time and wants to burst with questions, but she has been restraining herself. Instead, she trails after Magnus yet again like a lost puppy dog or something. "Scotch?" She looks and sounds so hopeful! Iain shouldn't give her bad ideas! Even if she is usually a vodka drinker. Jeremy falls silent save for a snort. His tail continues it's aggitated lashing. Some times ignoring just isn't going to work! You can't ignore humanity either after all. He glances at Iain and shakes his head, his gaze falling towards the table, and the other furniture items. Hands clasped behind his back, looking amused, Pietro ambles after the group. Since he already looked around, he doesn't have that need now. Wanda will be so amazed when she sees this. He sure was! "Then we can teach you." Said to Jeremy, and no, that isn't an insult. "If you have the abilities I guess from your appearance, you should be good at it." There's a bit of a grin, and an honest one at that. Oh yes, he got the message and will play nice for a bit. "Think we all could use a bit a practice, an' honin' on our particular talents," agrees Sasha. She doesn't seem to mind Pietro's rudeness in the least, though she does look curiously towards Jeremy, at his moodiness. She smirks, some. Then, looking back to Magneto, she wonders, "An' just how many folks you plan on recruitin' to let in here? OUr numbers are growin'. Could start t'get cramped," she points out, good naturedly. Iain raises an eyebrow over to Pietro, wondering softly, if the young mutant is so fast his /mind/ changes every time he turns around as well, but keeping it to himself, as he smiles to Jeremy, "I would love to teach you to play. It's a proper gentleman's game. Skill and patience are the only ways to win." he says with a smile, and a chuckle, motioning towards the minibar. "Can I get you anything to drink, lad?" Magnus moves to the mini-bar, arraying a collection of glasses. Three tumblers and a champagne flute. "Make your requests now. Iain, Racey...do you prefer your scotch neat or on the rocks?" He adds, "I fear bartending is not among my more developed skills, so if you're looking for something beyond a straight drink, you may have to make it yourself...or perhaps you would care to do the honors, Iain?" He does uncork a bottle of champagne (without spilling a drop, no less), and pours the flute part-way full before offering it towards Amelia. Appears he knows what she likes. "And we of course have several non-alcoholic beverages if you choose to abstain." There's absolutely no sense of admonition or chiding in the statement. Their choice is their choice. The champagne poured for the moment, he sets to a bottle of fine scotch, pouring himself a double over a small amount of ice before handing the 'tending chores over to the Irishman. He looks to Sasha and smiles, "There is room here for over three-dozen. But should we start to grow so large...and I sincerely hope we do...it may become necessary to start strategically placing our forces. There are two other headquarters similar to this one. Amelia and Pietro have seen them...but they are considerably more isolated than even this mountain retreat, and the living facilities are entirely below ground, though far more expansive than the bunker you glimpsed below." "Try a New York City apartment with roommates. Don't be greedy Sasha. You could fit a platoon in here and still have the pros outweigh the cons." Racey moves over to check out the pool table and nods. "Vodka if you have it, if not then scotch on the rocks." Racey lets out a whistle of amazement. Jeremy is so confused! people are confusing! very very confusing! He stares at Pietro for a few moments, trying to decipher if that smile is real, if the abrupt nice offer is not some kind of back handed comment. His ears slowly swivel forward and the lashing of the tail slows. ".. Sure..". It could be fun. He shrugs to Iain's offer. "..um.. just a soda..." he murmurs. "...thanks.." Iain mmmms, as he steps up to the bar, and he smiles to Magnus, "Well, I am Irish." he says to the elder mutant, moving to assist with the serving, finding a bottle of fine vodka, the sort you have to buy in Russia, and waving it to Racey, "Question stands, on ice, or straight up, my friend?" he asks with a smile, as he sets the bottle on the counter, and moves to take the bottle of scotch, inhaling the aroma, before pouring a couple fingers into an empty glass, swirling it to let it breathe, as he finds another glass, and prepares a soda for the furry mutant. "Anyone else? Sasha? Amelia? Pietro?" he asks with a smile. Smirking some, Sasha quips back to Racey, "I tried th' streets, an' dingy apartments. I'll enjoy what space I get, eh?" Though, she doesn't seem to be chiding the girl. She, herself, will take, "Vodka with lime, if ya please?" She grins, brightly then looks over towards Jeremy and Iain a bit curiously. She shrugs, and she mentions, "As fer me, I'm just going to enjoy myself a bit. An', be grateful I fell inta this lovely little group. Don't think I've met too many folk who've kept the same line of thinkin' as I've had." She shrugs, then. And, falling into one of the couches, easily, she kicks up her feet. A glance back towards Pietro, thoughtfully as she watches the young man with interest. Mercurial is Pietro's other name. His moods shift quickly, and often. A drawback of thinking at the speeds he does. "Nothing for me." Of the drink offer. Can't get drunk anyway, so why bother. His system metabolizes alcohol too quickly. If Jeremy is willing, he and Iain are sure to be able to show him the basics of pool. Pietro already knows, and plays decently. Doesn't play well if only because he doesn't care. Magneto's words wash over him really, for his attention is focused elsewhere, and he tends to miss conversation he's not attempting to follow. Another drawback of his powers. Not at all bothered with his skin tight costume, he still tends to blur on occasion when going through his actions. That speed is always there. "Straight up baby doll. I prize my vodka." She moves forward to take the glas of vodka, plain. She sips it and moans softly, "Goooood. Never had any this good before." She licks at her lips and takes another drink. She then grins over at Amelia, "You should try this stuff." Why she is so bright and cheerful toward Amelia and makes such efforts...who knows. Accepting the flute as her fingers curl about the stem with a slight raise of the glass towards Magnus in thanks before her steps approach the group more so as she listens to the offers. "I'm well, thanks," comes the reply to Iain, indicating the champagne with a glance over one shoulder towards the pool table. It's not her forte, but it doesn't mean she can't.. hrm. She can't point and laugh. Iain could show off, cut the lime with plasma, but the fiery slash tends to leave fruit tasting a little scalded, so instead, he finds the fruit in the fridge beneath the minibar, for what bar wouldn't be stocked with lime, lemon, and cherry? He lays a lime out, and swiftly dices it into ringlets with the bar knife, and moves to pour the vodka in a glass, moving to place the lime ring on the lip. He also pours Racey's vodka and smiles as she takes it, moving to carry his scotch, and Jeremy's drink back over to the pool table, after delivering Sasha's on the way. "Well, then, Peitro, Why don't you rack for us. I imagine you can do so a good deal faster than I can." he says with a wink, taking a slow sip of his scotch before moving to get a cue. Having little interest, at least for the present, in playing pool, Sasha queries towards Racey, half watching the other girl - and, half watching Jeremy and 'the boys' play pool (or learn pool, as the case may be), "So, what's your specialitiy, if I can ask?" Curious. And, she wants to get to know the people she'll be working with. And, living with. "Well then...before we begin separating and exploring and playing our games, I would propose a toast." Magnus notes once everyone that's drinking has their drink. He raises his glass reaching over to place a hand on Pietro's shoulder once more, including him even though he's without beverage, "To a place where we can live as we deserve. While it may be far from humble...I hope it will still be home." Racey grins impishly, "I can make a car run you over." Awwww, how sweet and social! But then more seriously, "I'm a tinkerer. Magnus promised to train me further in mechanics so I can assist with upkeep of gear and vechiles, communications, things like that. I got a lot to learn." But she then raises her vodka glass! "Here, here!" She takes a drink of her vodka at Magnus' toast. The girl is as strange as Pietro with up and down mood swings. But hers is just a personality flaw. Pool cue in hand, Pietro puts the butt on the floor as his father puts that hand on his shoulder. Nearly of a height, he stops what he was showing to give Magnus the time to make that toast. "To the Brotherhood." Said quietly, with firmness, but without a whole lot of expression. "I'm pretty well enough with this, Racey," Amelia notes, shortly before the toast is called and while being close enough to the girls to do so without much, if any interruption. Lifting her glass higher something that is a smile, one that lasts as long as the toast, she's not much for words this one. Unless absolutely necessary. Lifting her own vodka glass, Sasha echoes, "To the Brotherhood, an' mutants everywhere," with an insatiable sort of grin on her features. One might note she's looking at the boys playing pool - or, setting up to do so, when her glass is raised. After a moment of quiet thereafter, she looks back to Racey, "Oh? Pretty neat." She chuckles, back. "I can throw a baseball -through- your car, and make it stop, so it doesn't run me over," she says, clearly amused. "But, that's gotta be a pretty handy little gift. So, you could make, like, a crane go all wonky, and start knockin' down buildings, if you wanted? Nice." Jeremy grins sheepishly, raising up the can of soda as the others do so, offering another 'HereHere!' He takes a drink of the soda and ambles towards the pool table. Iain smiles, as he raises his scotch, and returns the toast, "To Home, and to the Brotherhood." he says quietly, his eyes glowing purple a bit, as he takes a slow sip of his scotch. Magnus takes a sip of his own beverage, and moves back a bit to watch the gentlemen set up their game, the glimmer of a smile remaining on his lips, "Jeremy, when you are finished with your game...or games...there is a separate matter I would speak with you on. But there is no rush." He assures, glancing towards the rest of the "crew" while sipping his drink once more, "Please, by all means try some of the other diversions, or explore as you wish. The only standing rules I impose are that the Library and Parlor remain a place of peace and quiet, and that we all clean up after ourselves." He pauses, frowning a touch, "Mortimer may need some encouragement on that score." "You should get him a shock collar." Said of Mortimer. Toad is far from Pietro's favorite person. Shouldering the cue, he is careful as he turns. Doesn't want to smack anyone. With that he returns to the table to show Jeremy. "Don't feel you have to do this." Said as the tiger approaches. There's that smirk again. The teen is amused really, not trying to make trouble. "The offer stands, but we can try it later." Learning something in front of an audience isn't all that fun. "Ain't met no Mortimer yet," opines Sasha, "But, if he's a slob an' #*$#'s up my ability t'relax here, I'll pound him. Or, slice somethin' important off," she says good naturedly. She then takes an appreciative sip of her vodka. Jeremy urs.. he doesn't want to make Magnus wait. That just doesn't seem ..right to do. "We can play afterwards... ?" he says, looking at Iain and Pietro. "..I know I don' have to.. I want to.. but.. there is plenty o' time for games..right?" and he moves towards the boss. "Where to?" he inquires. "Wouldn't work, not like I would be /in/ it baby doll," and Racey laughs. A husky, self-amused sound. She then nods, "I suppose. I think I could control a subway car. Haven't tested it out though. Love to test out if I can control a plane...but we shall see." A lop-sided smirk. "What can you do?" Turn about is fair play. Iain lets Pietro rach the game, and he smiles, "There is always plenty of time for games." he says, waving the liger off to go do as he feels he must. He smiles to Pietro, "So, would you like to break, ro will you follow?" he wonders. "Essentially," allows Sasha to Racey, "I can charge up an item for a few seconds, then pitch it, or hold onto it indefinitely. And, basically, can make the item stronger. Like, I could throw a playing card through a solid oak support beam in a building, or through a man's ribcage. Just as an example." She grins, wide at that. "Very well." Magnus comments to Jeremy, "Come with me. I wish to show you something." He beckons for the young man to follow him, taking his drink along with him. "Do continue to enjoy yourselves. We will likely return shortly." And with that, he leads Jeremy out of the room, back out towards the Foyer, and out the front door. "Wouldn't work, not like I would be /in/ it baby doll," and Racey laughs. A husky, self-amused sound. She then nods, "I suppose. I think I could control a subway car. Haven't tested it out though. Love to test out if I can control a plane...but we shall see." A lop-sided smirk. "What can you do?" Turn about is fair play. "Wouldn't work, not like I would be /in/ it baby doll," and Racey laughs. A husky, self-amused sound. She then nods, "I suppose. I think I could control a subway car. Haven't tested it out though. Love to test out if I can control a plane...but we shall see." A lop-sided smirk. "What can you do?" Turn about is fair play. "Mortimer is.. unique," Amelia remarks to Sasha and Racey before she steps away with a path towards the doors, pivoting about to head further into the complex. "I'm sure that you'll find out more shortly." A nod to Iain, and Pietro goes first. Not that he truly has much interest in the game. There's a moment of watching the two leave, and then he gives his attention to the game. Mostly. No, Pietro doesn't care if he wins or loses this game. If anything he's listening to the girls with more interest. "Trust me when I claim that you won't much enjoy meeting Toad. No matter he can be useful in a fight. The man is disgusting." (Magnus and Jeremy exit to have their discussion apart the others) "So warm and fuzzy like me," she comments to Sasha! Racey then watches Magnus leave and pouts some. "Mortimer huh...I think I heard him mentioned before, about maybe liking my music maybe." Racey yawns, "Doesn't matter to me, I'm not f^#*&ing the man. My lover is pretty scary, and I don't hate anyone quite that much." She smiles happily and sips her vodka with obvious pleasure. "Your lover?" Sasha looks amused. "Anessa? You did say you knew her," she points out, "She made an appearance. But, the girl didn't seem to have much of a backbone, 'r know what she wanted, outta life." Iain chuckles to Pietro, and he mmms, "If you don't feel like playing now.." he wave to the girls, perfectly happy to play pool with himself, set up trick shots, and play the board. It's a fine passtime, even solo. He is listening to the girls, but not very into the gossip they seem to be enjoying. There's a more earnest smile to Iain and the speedster shrugs. "Pool isn't my thing, no." Pietro appreciates that out and replaces things so that someone else can play later. And so he goes to attempt to enter the other conversation. "Who's Anessa? She's been mentioned a few times, but I haven't met her." "Huh? That air head? Gawd, no. I rather screw Amelia! I go for men, tall and muscular men that put the rumored Hulk to shame," she states with a wicked grin. "Not that I haven't looked at Magnus twice." She makes a lush sounding sigh. "That guy has plenty of muscles and is still real tall, and such...oh, I don't know! He's like terrifying, elegant and awesome all wrapped up in one. If it wasn't for my current lover, I would likely try to do more than some harmless flirting," she admits. "Got anyone you like seeing on their knees?" Racey is...true to her name. She's...well...racey! She then mmms, "A band member of mine, not that she realizes I'm really a girl yet! Had to cross dress to get gigs...they wouldn't hire a band headed by a girl, the bigot bastards. Anyways. Now stuck with it for the fans...so don't spread it around, cause I'll kill ya for screwing up my career," and oddly, she sounds serious. Don't screw with her music career. "Anessa is an amazing keyboardist, glad to have her in the band, but anything else...she's an airhead, no motivation. If it wasn't for her music, be best to put her out of her misery if she wasn't a homo-superior, you know? But who knows, she might really surprise us all. I know I've surprised myself. I've studied more in the last couple months than I did through my entire high school career, and learned tons about history." "Apparently," quips Sasha to Pietro, "A girl in the band. But, she was over at the safehouse, not too long ago. Kept askin' her what she wanted t'do, what her goals were - was kinda like pullin' teeth, 'cept way worse. Girl was cute, an' all, but - yeah. Pretty much an empty vessel. Still," admits Sasha, mildly, "Things can change. And motivation does tend t'change people, more often than not." Okay, maybe he didn't want in this conversation. There's such a thing as not wanting to know, and this is too much information. No one likes to think of a parent as someone desirable. It's disturbing. Pietro frowns as he listens, and mostly about Anessa. "Strange." Mostly said to himself, and he doesn't explain it. Doesn't care about Racey's career, so she's safe. He's better things to do than be ruin that. "Not someone I'll look to meeting then." The teen doesn't like that sort apparently. So not commenting about lovers. Sheesh. "Ya. Not that I'm sayin' it be easy. But since she's a homo-superior, it's worth a try. And if it can get her head on straight, that's good too. Means she will have more to contribute to the band." Everything going back to the band, obviously it is very important to her. Racey then grins wickedly at Sasha when she avoided answering the question about anyone being in her life. (Meanwhile outside...) Grounds - Eisenhardt Compound - New York Nestled high in the Adirondack Mountains and well-hidden from any main roadways and even overhead observation thanks to a healthy collection of old-growth trees that hide many of the details of the buildings here, the Eisenhardt Compound remains almost entirely unknown to the outside world, which is generally just how the occupants like it. A single-lane paved road winds through the mountains for several miles, passing through a narrow gap and a large iron gate before admitting visitors to the grounds themselves. The area surrounding the primary estate is comprised of a few thousand acres of wild, untamed wilderness and rugged mountainous terrain, making the narrow road the only reasonable overland route to reach the place without undertaking some extreme hiking and climbing (and wading through several wide, fast-moving creeks). All-in-all the location is well-placed both for defense and anonymity. There are three main buildings here: The main house, a considerably smaller guest house, and a detached garage. The architecture of all the buildings is rather reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's "Fallingwater" in the way that the structures are almost seamlessly integrated with the surrounding landscape, making the compound overall a rather striking, even beautiful sight. Aside from the main buildings, there are a few auxiliary structures, likely sheds for grounds maintenance tools, and over a few of the creeks are small hydroelectric stations, supplying the compound with an independent and clean power source. Jeremy follows after Magnus, eyeing the area as they go. He hopes he's not in trouble! Magnus moves at a leisurely pace through the house, heading back towards the foyer, "I hope you will forgive my son's rudeness, Jeremy. He is a proud young man...sometimes too proud, I think. But he too has enjoyed his share of hardships, as we all have." He opens the front doors, stepping outside into cool night air, and revealing the expansive landscape beyond. Jeremy tilts his head, ears focused. He'll have to choose his words carefully here. "...Sure.. I guess I can do that... " he says lowly, closing his mouth swiftly to keep from adding on his additional thoughts on the matter. His gaze flits away from the boss to take in the area, still fairly visible to his feline senses. Mountains! and forest! He smiles a bit. "You have seen his speed. His thoughts constantly operate at that level. As a result...he has a tendency to speak without thinking at times. But regardless, I hope you are aware that I do not consider you any lesser than any other of our number. You are a mutant, and that makes you superior, and more than deserving to be among our number." He takes a sip of his drink and gestures to the surrounding wilderness, "You like it, I hope?" Jeremy nods and considers this fact. "...That..is appreciated.." and he does, a great deal more than simple words can express. "Yea.. it's.. fantastic... cities are good.. but I've missed having areas like this to walk about.." he grins. "Good. Because I have a proposition for you, if you're interested in hearing it." Magnus doesn't actually wait, assuming the young man would indeed wish to hear, "These grounds are expansive. They encompass over three thousand acres...roughly 6 square miles. They are largely wild and untamed. While there is adequate security within the house and headquarters, the grounds need someone to watch over them. To wander...patrolling, if you will. To a lesser extent, they need someone to help maintain the few areas that are -not- permitted to run wild. Groundskeeping duties, if you will." He pauses a moment, then looks to Jeremy and smiles, "I should very much like you to consider becoming the Warden of our lands here. There would, of course, be compensation for your duties beyond simply room and board." Jeremy arches a brow then grins. "... You don' gotta ask.. I.. was figuring doing that anyway.. I.. like roaming.. are the edges of the property marked at all? I've done plenty of yard work before.. ain't hard.." he grins. "I had rather thought you might. Nevertheless, I do not intend to allow you to take on such duties unrewarded, as there is a difference between doing something because of duty rather than simply out of enjoyment...though it does happen to be a pleasant occasion when they end up converging." Magnus finishes his drink, adding, "Twenty-five thousand dollars a year. Plus an additional expense account you can draw upon as needed for grounds maintenance tasks." Magneto adds after a moment, "There is a stone wall that encircles the property, but much of the land beyond is public property, nature preserves and the like. Rarely traveled but even so I prefer having someone actively seeking overly curious types or wayward hunters from stumbling upon our home here." Jeremy nods. "Yea, I don't figure it'd be good to let people wander in, even by accident.." he says looking quite pleased by the idea. An well who doesn't like money...and earned money at that! No more robbing ATMS! "If ya got maps o' the area, and property lines.. would be good to know which directions people are most likely to wander in from." he seems very excited indeed! "They will be provided." Magnus assures, smiling once more, "Thank you Jeremy. I will see to it that the arrangements are made to have you receive your stipend." He adds, then glances back towards the house, "I had best return inside. That is all I wished to discuss with you...unless you've some other concerns you wish to share?" Jeremy is all smiles and shakes his head. "No, this.. all o' this.. it's beyond anything I ever could have wished for.. " he says, whiskers fanned and probably the happiest the cat has been in a very long time. "..thank you..." "My pleasure, Jeremy. You are most welcome." Magnus says sincerely, glancing over his shoulder and smiling faintly before moving back towards the house. (Magnus and Jeremy return to the Rec Room where the others are still chatting) Taking another drink of her vodka, Sasha peeks thoughtfully over to the door where Magnus drug Jeremy too, then looks back at Racey and then Pietro, nodding. "Figure everyone just has to see the truth, some point. Great thing 'bout Magneto is he's a really good guy. Paitent, y'know?" Iain is drinking scotch, alone over by the pool table, setting up trick shots, which he sometimes manages to land, while the girls and Pietro chat on the couch. Pietro is rapidly losing interest in the topic as well. One never likes to think of their parents in that light. With the shake of his head, he decides it's time to go. "I need to get back to campus. Good day." There's no ire in it, and he isn't upset really. Doesn't stick around to wait for replies either. Doesn't so much as leave a breeze as he blurs away. A blink, "Wait..what...Magneto?" Raacey is sitting up. Her expression one of surprise and then very guarded. "What are you talkin about?" Magneto is a member of the Brotherhood?! Racey doesn't pay much attention to Pietro's departure. "Apparently you're talking about me." Magnus notes as he steps back through the doorway, likely with Jeremy close behind. "Good to know my brethren apparently enjoy discussing me as soon as my back is turned." His tone is teasing, though, not admonishing. His awareness of Pietro's departure is limited to the blue-white blur that blows by them in the hallway. Ah well...there will be time to talk to Pietro later. "So...what's this about me now?" Jeremy is in a much improved mood when he returns. In fact few have ever seen him smile so much. Whatever has been said, it apparently wasn't bad news for the feral. He takes note of who is still present and then makes a bee line towards that mini bar. Snax time! Iain smiles, as he sees Magneto and Jeremy emerge, smiling to himself as he spots the smile on the liger's face. He wanders over towards the mini bar himself, taking a slow sip of his scotch, "So, lad, want that drink now?" he wonders with a smile. Racey's expression closes out. "Ya, our error." She then sets her now empty glass aside on the wet bar. "Anyway, I'm outs. I got things to do." She doesn't look up, rather hooking her thumbs into her tight black leather pockets and moving to take her leave without even looking at Magnus. "Ya know, our benefactor and general awesome landlord?" Sasha grins a bit, but then seeing Racey's confusion, gives the girl a bit of an odd sort of look. She shrugs, "See ya," she waves, briefly. Then, she looks back at Magneto, shrugging, "Actually, we were talkin' 'bout Anessa, th' weird girl. Apparently she's one of the gal's bandmates. Was just telling her if anyone could make her see th' light, you could, 'sall." Magnus watches Racey, well, race off, frowning a touch, but turning his attention back towards Sasha, "Hm...odd. She seemed upset over something." He shakes his head then shrugs a touch, "Ah well. I had best retire for the evening, myself. You all enjoy yourselves. Should some unforseen emergency arise, I will be upstairs." Jeremy shakes his head. "..naw..I'm.. not sure what it'd do to me... might not do anythin'... or it might have.. some unfortunate side effects..sides that stuff always smells foul.. can't imagine it'd taste good.." he arches a brow as Racey starts to slink away. Okay something just happened. He peers at Iain and Sasha with a questioning expression. He gives Magnus a wave. Iain watches Racey exit so quickly, and shrugs, before nodding to Jeremy, and he chuckles, "Well, if you ever want to try it, do let me know. I know many drinks which do not taste like a kick in the mouth." he proclaims with a wink, reaching to pat the furry man's shoulder, before he looks up at Magneto, "Be well, sir." he says with a smile. "I may go down and play with the training simulators, myself. I can't wait to see what these jets are like.. Want to join me?" he offers the two younger mutants. "Can you even fly?" Wonders Sasha, bemused at Iain. She shrugs, remaining on the couch yet, finishes off her vodka, wipes her mouth off and streches languidly. "Jets, I mean," she clarifies before she gets a smart-arsed answer. "Dunno. I could go for just loungin', now. Or whatever. If you guys wanna go down an' check it out, I'll go with." Jeremy mmrrrs and decides to eat something later, so he goes back towards the pool table. "Eh, if ya'll want you can.. I think adding jet flight on top o' everything else will make my head explode.." he grins. "At least for today... this is so much to.. accept.." Iain laughs in Shasha's direction, and smirks, "I can fly quite a few types of plane. I've trained on a few jets, but I doubt I've ever flown anything quite like the ones here. I can teach pool instead, if you'd prefer?" he offers Jeremy. "I take it that whatever Magnus had to say, you liked?" he wondered calmly. Curiosity has Sasha's attention, too. "Mind sharin'?" She asks of Jeremy, thoughtfully. But, she isn't going to press the issue currently. She sits up a bit on the couch, smirking back at Iain. "Sounds like you're the magic man. I can drive a stick, that's about it." She chuckles. Jeremy grins widely, whiskers fanned. "Yea, nothin' major.. he just wants me to keep an eye on the place.. make sure no one crosses into the property who ain't supposed to." he says proudly to them both. He moves to grab one of the pool sticks. "So how many people can play? Just two at a time?" Iain smiles, and nods to Jeremy, "That's great!" he says, happy for the feral. He chuckles to Sasha, "Oh, you can drive stick. No one's ever bothered to teach you properly." he says with a wink. "Anyone can. It's easier than rubbing your stomach and patting your head." He turns his attention back to the pool table, moving to rack up all the balls, "Oh, we can play with more than two. Competitions are usually in teams of two or just two, but since we're not betting, there's no need to play strictly correctly.." he explains with a smile. "I shoot a bit of pool," offers Sasha. "Ain't too bad, but, better at cards." For obvious reasons. She gives a grin, "I'll watch, just let you boys play. Wouldn't want to bruise any egos, tonight." Jeremy snerks at Sasha's boasting but smiles all the same. "Okay you can play me later then.." he says as he leans against the pool stick. "Sooo... white ball is what ya hit, but is there a way yer supposed to go? I heard something once about stripes an' colored... and yer not supposed to hit the 8 ball?" Iain chuckles, "Well, we're racked for eight ball, which is what you're thinking of. There are other games you can play." he says with a chuckle, "But we'll focus ont his." he says, moving to place the white ball on a white dot on the far side of the table. "You hit the white ball at the balls down there, and you 'break' apart the formation. If you hit it just right, you can sink some of them. The first player to sink either a striped ball, like this one." he says, pointing to a stripe, "Or a solid" he points to another ball, "Gets to sink the rest of that type of ball." he explains. "The eight ball, this solid black ball in the center, is the last to be sunk, after you've finished all the balls of your type." he motions to the pockets, "If you sink a ball of your type, you get to continue to play. If you miss, you give up the turn to your opponent. If you hit your opponent's ball, or the white ball, into a pocket, you 'scratch' and your opponent gets to play. In the case of sinking the cue ball, the white one, your opponent gets to place it on the side of the table that it sank on." he explains calmly. Sliding off the couch, Sasha strolls over to the pool table, allowing Iain to explain things; she doesn't complicate the matter by adding her own voice to the 'lesson', but she does move to Jeremy's side - sort of, leaning just behind him against the wall, arms folded. She does add, "S'a game of geometery, Stripes. Figurin' out angles. And precision shootin'. Timing. S'a good way to teach yourself to concentrate." Jeremy nods towards Iain and then glances at Sasha as she wanders over, an ear swiveling towards her. "..okay... seems easy enough to understand at least..." he grins at them both. He looks at Iain "Who goes first?" Iain chuckles, "Normally, we'd flip for it or the like, but you can go first." he explains, "Just aim at the big group, and hit as hard as you like, it's hard to scratch on the break." he explains with a smile, nodding to Sasha as she talks about geometry. "Patience and skill are the only way to win." he says again,a s he takes a sip of scotch, moving to watch. "Go get 'em, Stripes," roots Sasha, encouragingly. But, she doesn't embarass Jeremy further, much, likely to the young man's peace of mind. She just gives him a smile, then side glances toward Iain, "Though, I can't say as I wouldn't mind takin' a jet up. Maybe even skydivin'. Always wanted t'do that. An' that - whattya call it? Where ya fly with the suits, off th' winds, an' ya super-glide? Seen that, too. That looks damn fun." Meet Sasha: Thrill seeker. Jeremy has seen some people play pool on tv now and again, but it's not something he's studied. "Show me how ya hold it ?" he asks, after realizing he's not exactly sure how. How embarrassing! But there are likely to be tons of things he's never done, but only seen hints of on tv. He looks back at Sasha with a smirk. "... have fun with that.." he laughs. No he's not jumping out of any perfectly good air planes. Iain chuckles, and steps up behind Jeremy, gently moving one hand to the table, "you rest this on the table in front of the cue ball, to steady the cue.." he moves to the other side, and guides your hand on the stick, to rest the tip on your paw. "This should keep it steady and let you hit the cue ball fairly straight on." he explains. As Jeremy asks, Sasha slightly moves as if to show him, however she settles back, when Iain does, her mouth pursing slightly. She frowns, briefly to herself but remarks without a beat, in a cheerfull sort of voice, "Of course, you're comin' with me, Stripes. It's either that, or bungee jumpin'. Now that's fun, too. Can do it right off a crane. No hassle." Jeremy 's ears swivel as both Sasha and Iain move to try to help. There is a sheepish grin that is quickly hidden. ".. bungee jumpin'.... um.. well.. I'll think about it.." he says not sounding at all confident that idea. "Can't we all just go mountain climbin'? that'd be a good rush right? " he grins widely as he sets up his shot, tail slowly S curling. Iain chuckles, and raises an eyebrow at Sasha's forceful demands, and he chuckles, "Maybe I could teach you to fly her. She can jump out, and you can control the plane." he offers with a chuckle. "There's a rush when you fly. Even with a plane." he says with a knowing smile. He watches Jeremy working to set up the shot. "I'll go mountain climbing with you, when you go bungee jumping with me," Sasha barters with Jeremy. "Now, break, Stripes. And make it a good one." She chuckles. Jeremy's ears fold briefly then just move to a neutral side position. "mmm. " he says. Jumping off bridges and then dangling around like a worm on a hook does not sound fun to him. He gives a shrug and lines up his shot. The pool cue feels strange shifting against his furred knuckles. One, Two, three! and the cue strikes the white orb sending it flying far, far too hard. In fact the majority of the balls end up hitting the sides of the walls and three of them bounce out of the table. "Ooopse!" he grimaces. Iain manages to catch one as it bounces out, laughing, "Well, that's a little hard. You're stronger than I thought." he says, as the other two bounce on the carpet, and he finger rolls the ball around his hand and back onto the table, to gather the other two. "Want to try it again?" he offers with a smile. "Control, control, you must learn control, if you are to use the ways of the Jedi," quips Sasha, with a smirk. Then, "Don't feel bad. Most people end up scratchin' th' board, or sendin' the cue ball flyin' off the table at someone." She chuckles. "S'why it's a game of finesse. You'll get it, Stripes." Jeremy winces "Well at least I didn't rip the table. " he mutters. He half grins at Sasha and nods. "Okokay Yoda.." he smirks at her and picks up the other lost ball to set back onto the table. "Not so good with finesse...yet.." he grins and takes another try. This time the cueball isn't hit quite so hard and the group breaks apart quite well, several plopping into the pockets. Two solids and one striped. Iain chuckles, and nods, "Well, that's just about a perfect break. Since you sank both solids and stripes, you get to choose whether to take solids or stripes. Since you sank two solids, you probably want to go with that." he says with a wink. "The key to pool is consistency, and planning." he points out. "Take a look at the table, and see what's close to going in already, and make your choice based on what you think you can sink several of without giving up the table to me." he says with a smile. Heading over to the 'bar', Sasha ends up filling up her glass with another healthy helping of vodka, and a lime while the boys talk pool. Her eyes remain mostly on Jeremy, but she seems quite relaxed over all of it, nevertheless. Jeremy eyes the girl as moves about, his nose breathing in practically tasting the smell of lime and vodka. He grins at her before nodding to Iain. "Ahh..Okay I'll take the solids then.." he moves around the table several times, trying to decide what to target and from what angle. Math isn't his strong point, and instinct isn't helpful at all here. Going for the 'weakest' isn't what will help most. He eventually finds an easy shot and hits the cue ball. It bumps one of the balls but it doesn't quite go in. Instead it hits the wall too hard and bounces off. "Damn.." he grunts. Iain smiles, "It's ok. It's all about consistency. What ya have to do to start is focus on hitting the cue ball dead on, and at the right firmness." he explains. 'Complex shots require a lot of ricochets, but basic shots are just hat simple." he explains, lining up a simple stripes shot, and demonstrating a firm, and steady shot. He sinks his first ball easily, and then he chuckles, "But some shots.. Well, they need more skill." he says, choosing a complex shot that requires him to take a couple bounces, and he takes it, missing by a little, tapping his ball, but failing to get it quite in. Taking a healthy drink from the vodka glass, Sasha gives a grin, "Practice makes perfect," she agrees, cheerfully and hoists herself neatly up onto the bar. She crosses her legs, and gives Jeremy and Iain her full attention, thereafter. Jeremy is not used to being watched like this.. it's.. not disliked... but it feels strange all the same. His tail flicks and he smiles and circles the table about 5 times before he finally decides on a shot to take. ".. this could be fun.. it's like.. well a puzzle.. " he murmurs. He shoots and gets another relatively simple shot in. Plop! His whiskers fan in a big goofy grin. Iain smiles, and nods, "Precisely." he says, clapping his hands, "Good shot!" he congratulates, as the shot goes down, and he moves to lean against the wall, finishing off his scotch glass, watching the furball play 8ball. "There you go, Stripes. Way to sink it in. Now, if you could just get the rest of your balls in, you'd be home free," she says, attempting to say this with a straight face, as she finishes off her second vodka. Jeremy looks skyward at Sasha's play on words. He coffs a bit and bites at his raspy tongue. Not going to reply to that right now! oh my. But apparently it distracts him enough that he hits the cue too hard and it skims past the ball he's aiming at and the white orb shoots down the center of the table, bounces and just barely misses falling into a pocket. "Ack.." Iain chuckles, and smirks at Jeremy, "You shouldn't listen to girls talking about yer balls, Lad." he says with a wink, moving to mmm. "Not a badn bounce. See how none of my balls have a good view." he points out, taking another shot that involves a couple bounces, and this one taps the ball rather wildly, bouncing it off another ball, and missing entirely. "Tcha.." he mutters softly. Snickering at Iain, Sasha replies, "I dunno. I think his balls look good, from here," she manages easily, winking at Iain, then curving a smile towards Jeremy. She taps her glass, which is now empty. Then, after a moment's hesitation and a, "What the hell," she refills it again. Jeremy's ears and nose burn with embarrassment. aiieee! Double Iiieeee! He covers his face with a massive hand. ".....guys..." he murrrs. Deep breath... and he moves around the table again, trying not to let the comments distract him too much more. He aims and manages to sink 1 2 and 3 more of the balls, one at a time with simple and fairly lucky shots. ftb